La Muña , the hotel ’ s sixth-floor rooftop bar , is accessible via glass elevator and boasts 360-degree views .
Contributed BY ALICIA SHEBER
THE REBORN LA
RÉSERVE EDEN AU LAC IS THE CHILD OF THE
CITY ’ S EVOLVING PERSONALITY AND PHILIPPE STARCK ’ S PROFILE .
IST largest in ZURICH
When family-owned Michel Reybier Hospitality acquired Zurich ’ s famed-but-faded Eden au Lac hotel in 2014 , it became the fourth member of the developer ’ s Victoria-Jungfrau Hotels brand .
Despite its prime position on Lake Zurich , it was tired and lacked a strong identity among the city ’ s 4- and 5-star hotels , says the group ’ s CEO , Raouf Finan . As the team pondered the property ’ s renovation , they realized it presented a real opportunity to offer Zurich something new and upgraded it to the La Réserve collection , joining those in Geneva and Paris designed by Jacques Garcia and in Ramatuelle , France , designed by Jean- Michel Wilmotte .
After a two-year restoration by starchitect Phillipe Starck , the refreshed La Réserve Eden au Lac was reopened in January – just in time to close temporarily due to COVID-19 . It reopened in May .
CULTURAL CODES According to Finan , Zurich ’ s luxury and business hotels epitomize classic Swiss hospitality , but trendier , laid-back and more accessible destinations didn ’ t exist . In addition , the city ’ s “ education mile ” currently under development is part of a rebrand to show itself as more than just a financial hub . This cultural trail will link theaters , galleries and museums , including the 2021 debut of an extension to the Kunsthaus museum housing the world ’ s collection of Dada art , the early
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